Are You Almost Anorexic?

Guest Bio: Jennifer Thomas, PhD & Jenni Schaefer

Dr. Jennifer Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.  She is the Co-Director of the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she has evaluated and treated individuals of all ages with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and other eating disorders, in both inpatient and outpatient settings.  

She completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Yale University, her pre-doctoral clinical internship at Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital, and her post-doctoral research fellowship jointly at McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. She has published more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and chapters, and serves on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Eating Disorders and the Journal of Abnormal Psychology. She has received research funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Klarman Family Foundation, and the Hilda and Preston Davis Foundation. Her scientific research focuses on the development of an eating disorder typology that better reflects clinical reality, which is also the topic of her new Harvard Health Publications book Almost Anorexic: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Relationship with Food a Problem?

Jenni Schaefer's breakthrough bestseller, Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too, established her as one of the leading lights in the recovery movement. With her second, Goodbye Ed, Hello Me: Recover from Your Eating Disorder and Fall in Love with Life, she earned her place as one of the country's foremost motivational writers and speakers. Chair of the Ambassadors Council of the National Eating Disorders Association, Jenni presents regularly at major universities including Harvard and Yale, in corporate settings, at conferences, and other venues. She blogs for the Huffington Post, Eating Disorders Blogs, and on her own website.

Jenni's straightforward, realistic style has made her a role model, source of inspiration and confidant to people worldwide looking to overcome adversity and live more fully. She has been interviewed on many syndicated radio and television shows, including multiple appearances on Dr. Phil, and her work has been recognized by publications ranging from the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune to Cosmopolitan and Woman's World.

An accomplished singer/songwriter, an avid biker and hiker, and a woman whose passion for life is contagious, Jenni lives in Austin, Texas. Her third book, released by Harvard Health Publications and Hazelden, is Almost Anorexic: Is My (or My Loved One's) Relationship with Food a Problem? For more information, visit www.JenniSchaefer.com.